Lunch

During June-July 2007 Ziggy was the resident young hawk at the Central Park baseball field. The parents raided every robin's nest in the area to feed Ziggy. It was at that time that I saw Ziggy go down on the ground to retrieve a fallen head and eat it up with glee. I've been waiting to see head-devouring since then.

Our hawks still can't catch their own food, so Mom is delivering the goods, this time a juvenile starling delivered to a tree branch on the median between the on ramp and the south bound lane of the highway.

The problem was trying to figure where to place the meal securely in order to eat.

Another problem was hiding the meal. Then there was the mockingbird who was endlessly dive-bombing the hawk.

Finally, a better position for holding starling. Not easy to shoot as there was backlight.

Definitely starling, kishka intestines.

Delicious.

Oh no, is this kid going to eat all that????

Yes! Obviously eating fast makes sense. That way nobody can grab your food.

Oh boy, here we go again, half a bird in one gulp.

Down the hatch.

And the mocker continued attacking hawk and screaming squirrel yells.

Hawk has noticed something on the ground.

Could it be??? Oh, joy, it's the head! Now there's going to be fun.

Here's looking at you, kid. (It's eyes are still open!)

Name this bird Salome. The ultimate head shot!

Having eaten all that there was nothing to do but lie down and rest.

Who's going to get off the ground with a crop full of meal.

The mocker continued being in attack mode, so smart kid went and hunkered down in grass.

But that didn't satisfy the mocker..... full war mode.

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